Internet technologies evaluation and comparison
Introduction Internet technologies have been the main focus on this section there has been some discussion of routing and remote access, telnet, and ports and addresses. However more coverage of them is needed in order for the user to gain a better understanding of these technologies. Routing and remote access A router allows the user to manage the flow of data between network segments. It essentially directs incoming and outgoing packets of information based on a list of sources and destinations for the network traffic. Routing helps the user better evaluate whether they need a hardware type router or a software type router or a combination of both by projecting traffic and routing needs based upon the type and number of hardware devices and applications that are utilised within the computer environment. Dedicated hardware routers in general handle heavier demands for routing the best compared to the cheaper alternate software based routing that is built for lighter routing loads. An example of this software based solution is the windows server 2008 service that has a routing and remote access service that is ideal for a small network environment. In contrast large corporate environments that host a large number of network segments and hardware devices, which then no doubt have a large number of performance requirements will used to hardware router path to best deliver router solutions throughout the entire network. Services such as file and print sharing or web server access messaging are enabled by remote access connection on a LAN base. Servers running remote access can provide two different type of connectivity in regards to remote access. VPN or virtual private networking is the creation of a secure end point to end point connection across a public network such as the internet or a private one. Tunneling protocols are TCP/IP protocols are used to make a virtual call to a port on a VPN server, Compared with dial up, the second type of connectivity VPN is a logical and indirect connection between the VPN server and the client. To ensure maximum security data must be encrypted when sent. Dial up just to briefly overview creates a non-permanent connection to a physical port such as a phone number as one of the ports of a remote access server. Data can be encrypted through this connection but it isn't essential. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771052(v=ws.10).aspx Telnet telnet is a command program in the TCP/IP protocol that is used for remotely accessing computers. Unlike its web counterparts FTP and HTTP protocols that will allow the user to request specific files from computers but not have to be longged on to them. Telnet will require the user to be logged in as a regular user this gives the user of the telnet software the user privileges of that computer giving you access to whatever applications or data that may reside on the accessed computer. http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Telnet Telnet is a very old computer protocol that is dated back in time before the world wide web. This was in the 1960's/70's when it was built to manage mainframe computers from distant terminals. Telnet research students and professors would be enabled to log in to the university mainframe from any terminal with the university campus. This did save them a considerable amount of travel time but compared to modern day networking technology telnet is extremely archaic. Telnet is a text-based computer protocol that unlike the modern day browsers can't support hyperlinks, graphical images, and animation. Users would find that even using commands on this telnet screen to be cumbersome and complex. http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/t/f/what_is_telnet.htm -image telnet Ports and addresses A computer port can be referred to its physical or virtual form. The physical network ports that allow computer, routers, modems, and a variety of other computer networking devices to have connecting cables . Physical ports that exist on computer hardware can include Ethernet and USB ports. On the virtual side however which is the main focus of the wiki, they're part of the overall TCP/IP networking which allows software applications to work with hardware resources simultaneously without any interference from each other. Routers and computers can automatically provide some control over traffic flow on each virtual port additionally for security purposes and it allows them to channel network traffic through these ports. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basiccomputerarchitecture/g/computer-ports.htm Port numbers work in tandem with network addresses. A port number is part of addressing data and information that is sent and received by the user. TCP/IP connections commonly utilise these ports in network connections. Network routers and computer software works with the ports and allows the user then to configure port settings. This can potentially mean that different applications on the same computer environment can share network resources. Port numbers are analogous to telephone extension numbers. Just like how a business will have a main number and a switchboard that allocates people in the same building with a unique extension number such as r45,r32 etc. so can a computer use addresses to handle incoming and outgoing of data through connections. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/networkprotocols/f/port-numbers.htm Network addresses help give a computer a unique identifier for when it is networked up. This allows other computers to determining the address of said computer and be able to communicate to it and send and receive information to and from it. A well known address type is IPv4 Internet Protocol address that will use an address that is a 32 bit binary number that identifies all computers to an extent on the internet. Another form that is used by managers to help identify their network devices are is the media access control address or MAC address that is a 48 bit binary number. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basicnetworkingconcepts/g/bldef_address.htm